Corinthian War (395-387 BC)
In summer 395 BC the Boeotian League led by Thebes sided with Locris (east?) in a border dispute with Phocis. When Phocis appealed to Sparta, the ephors ordered Boeotia not to interfere. At the instigation of the Theban anti-Spartan leader Ismenias, the Boeotian League refused to comply. In the late summer or the autumn Athens entered into a perpetual defensive alliance with the Boeotian League.
• Haliartus (395 BC)
Sparta decided to make a two-pronged attack on Boeotia, Lysander was to raise an army from Sparta’s allies in Phocis and neighbouring areas, and Pausanias was to meet him at Haliartus (a small city in Boeotia, northwest of Thebes) with the main Peloponnesian army. Lysander arrived first and having persuaded Orchomenus to revolt from the Boeotian League, he decided to attack Haliartus and not wait for Pausanias.
Surprised between Haliartus and a Theban army coming to the defence of the city, he with many of his men fell fighting outside the city walls. The main body of his army retreated to a strong position and beat off a Theban attack. Pausanias arrived the next day as did an Athenian army sent to help the Boeotians. Heavily outnumbered in cavalry, Pausanias agreed a truce and left Boeotia without engaging the enemy. For this Pausanias was impeached, he had given up Sparta’s prestige in Central Greece without striking a blow. He went to Tegea and was succeeded by his son Agesipolis-I (r.395-380 BC).
Ambracia, Acarnania, Argos, Corinth, Euboea, Leucas and the Chalcidian League joined the insurgents. When Archelaus-I of Macedonia (r.413-399 BC), a supporter of the Aleuads of Thessaly, was assassinated, the Spartans had provided Lycophron-I of Pherae (r.c.406-390 BC) with troops to take Pharsalus from Medius of Larissa. Now, late in summer 395 BC, a mainly Boeotian and Argive army was sent to Thessaly. Joining with Medius, still locked in conflict with Lycophron, these allies captured Pharsalus from its Spartan garrison. Returning south, the allies captured Heraclea Trachinia and gave it to the neighbouring tribes. Further south, Ismenias marched on Phocis with almost six thousand Boeotians, local allies, and Locrians. The Phocians advanced to meet them and got the worse of a hard-fought battle. In 394 BC Sparta, expecting an invasion of the Peloponnese by the allies, recalled Agesilaus and the bulk of his army.
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